Nov.26, 1788, Acts 13th G.A. 1st sitting, ch. CCXLIV, p.486-488.
Sect. 1. BE IT ENACTED by the Council and General Assembly of this State, and it is hereby Enacted by the Authority of the same, That if any Person or Persons shall fit out, equip, man or otherwise prepare, any Ship or other Vessel within any Port or Harbour of this State, or shall cause any Ship or other Vessel to sail from any Port or Harbour of this State, for the purpose of carrying on a Trade or Traffic in Slaves, to, from or between Europe, Asia, Africa, of America, or any places or Countries whatever, or of transporting Slaves to or from one Port or Place to another in any Part of the World, for the Purpose of Sale, such Ship or Vessel, her cargo, Tackle, Furniture, Apparel, or other Appurtenances, shall be forfeited, and be liable to be seized by any Justice of the Peace, Naval-Officer, Sheriff or Coroner, within this State, and prosecuted by such Justice of the Peace, Naval-Officer Sheriff or Coroner, making such Seizure, by information in Rem in the Supreme Court, or the Inferior Court of Common Pleas of the County within such Seizure shall be made.
Sect. 2. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that every Ship or other Vessel with her Cargo, Tackle, Furniture, Apparel and other Appurtenances, so seized aforesaid, and against which Judgment shall be had and obtained, shall, by order of the Court in which such Judgment was so had, be sold at public Vendue, by the Sheriff of the County, unless the said Sheriff be a Party to the Prosecution, and then by the Coroner of the County in which the said Seizure was made, who, after deducting all legal Costs and Charges to be taxed by one of the Judges of the Court in which the said Judgment was had, is hereby ordered and directed to pay seven-eighth Parts of the net Proceeds thereof to the Collector of the County in which such Seizure was made, for the Use of the State, and the remaining eighth Part thereof to the Person or Persons who made the Seizure, and prosecuted to the same to Effect; and the said Sheriff or Coroner by whom the said Sale shall be made, is hereby entitled to receive, and take out of the Proceeds of the said sale, One per Cent for his Trouble.
Sect. 3. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that if any Master, Seaman or other Person, on Board any Ship or other Vessel so liable to be seized aforesaid, shall refuse, and not suffer to enter, or resist before or after entering, on Board such Ship or other Vessel, any such Person or Persons attempting to enter on Board, or being already entered on Board of such Ship or other Vessel for the purpose of making such seizure aforesaid, every Person so refusing or resisting shall forfeit and pay the Sum of Fifty Pounds, to be recovered by the Person or Persons so resisted, in an Action of Debt in any Court of Record within this State, with Costs of Suit, one half Part thereof for the Use of the Person or Persons who shall prosecute the same to Effect, any Law, Usage or Custom, to the contrary notwithstanding.
Sect. 4. And be it further Enacted, that no Negro or Mulatto Slave shall be removed out of this State, whose Place of Residence has been therein for Twelve Months immediately preceding such Removal, with a Design and Intention that the Place of Abode or Residence of such Slave shall be thereby changed, without his or her Consent, if of full Age, testified upon private Examination before a Justice of the Peace of the City or County in which he or she shall reside, or, being under the Age of Twenty-one Years, without his or her Consent testified in Manner aforesaid, as also without the Consent of his or her Parent or Parents, if any there be, to be testified in like Manner whereof the said Justice shall make a Record, and deliver to said Slave a Copy thereof, containing the Name, Age, Condition, and then Place of Abode, of such Slave, the Reason of such Removal, and the Place to which he or she is about to go; and if any Person or Persons whatsoever shall sell or dispose of any such Slave to any Person out of this State, or shall send or carry, or cause to be sent or carried, any such Slave out of this State, without having obtained all such Consent as by this Act is required, testified in the Manner aforementioned, every such Person or Persons, his or their Aiders and Abetters, shall severally forfeit and pay, for every such Offence, the Sum of Twenty Pounds, to be recovered in any Court of Record where cognizable, with Costs of Suit, by any Person who will sue for the same, one Moiety to the Plaintiff, and the other Moiety to the Use of the Poor of the Township from which the Slave be removed. Provided nevertheless, That Nothing in this Act shall be construed or understood to make any Person or Persons liable to the above Penalty who may or shall remove to and reside in any of the neighboring States, and take his, her or their Slave or Slaves with him, her or them, any Thing to the Contrary notwithstanding.
Sect. 5. Be it further enacted, that all criminal Offences of Negroes and Mulattoes, as well Slaves and Servants as free Persons, shall be inquired of, adjudged, corrected and punished, in like Manner as the criminal Offences of other Inhabitants of this State are and shall be Inquired of, adjudged, corrected and punished, and not otherwise, any Law, Usage or Custom to the Contrary in any wise notwithstanding.
Sect. 6. And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, that ever Person or Persons of within this State, who shall be the Owner or Owners of any Negro or Mulatto Slave or Slaves, Servant or Servants, for Life, or Years, born after the Publication of this Act, shall cause every such Slave or Slaves, Servant or Servants, while under the Age of Twenty-one Years, to be taught and instructed to read; and every Owner or Owners of such Negro or Mulatto Slave or Slaves, Servant or Servants, who shall neglect or refuse to cause his, her or their Slave or Slaves, Servant or Servants, to be taught and instructed as aforesaid, shall forfeit and pay the Sum of Five Pounds, to be recovered by Action of debt, before any Justice of the Peace within this State, by any Person or Person who shall or may prosecute the same.
Sect. 7. And be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that the seventh Section of the Act, entitled 'An Act to prevent the Importation of Slaves into the State of New Jersey, and to authorize the Manumission of them under certain Restrictions, and to prevent the Abuse of Slaves,' shall be and the same is hereby repealed.
A. Passed at Princeton, November 26, 1788